Randy Chandler
String cheese is a popular snack, especially in the US, where it generally refers to snack-sized servings of low-moisture mozzarella. The cheese gets its name from the fact that it can be eaten by pulling strips from a cylinder. While mozzarella is the most common type of string cheese, other varieties exist, including cheddar. Cheddar cheese is particularly challenging to manufacture due to its long ripening period, which can also cause off-flavours to develop. The manufacturing process involves several steps, including curd formation, whey separation, cheddaring, milling, salting, and pressing.
Characteristics and Values of Cheddar String Cheese Manufacturing
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Milk, rennet, water, chymosin, bovine pepsin, starter cultures |
| Temperature | 29-31°C (84-88°F) for setting the mixture; 39°C or 102°F for cooking the curd |
| Time | 30-40 minutes to set the curd; 10-15 minutes to set again; 20-60 minutes for cooking |
| Process | Curd formation, whey separation, cheddaring, milling, salting, pressing |
| Texture | Can vary from crumbly to plastic |
| Quality | Depends on chemical composition, texture, and flavour; difficult to manufacture due to long ripening period |
| Yield | Affected by water quality and pH; fat content of milk |
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What You'll Learn
- Cheddaring: Stacking curd loaves to squeeze out whey, reducing moisture, and adding flavour
- Curd formation: Curds are cut and handled gently to prevent fat and protein loss
- Whey separation: Whey is drained from the vat, with gates preventing curds from escaping
- Milling: Curds are cooked by adding hot water to the vat jacket, up to 39°C
- Starter cultures: Reliable starters are key to modern Cheddar manufacturing, controlling acidity and moisture
Cheddaring: Stacking curd loaves to squeeze out whey, reducing moisture, and adding flavour
Cheddaring is a unique process in the manufacture of cheddar cheese. It involves stacking curd loaves to squeeze out whey, reducing moisture, and adding flavour. This multi-step process is crucial in achieving the desired texture and flavour profile of cheddar cheese.
To begin the cheddaring process, the curds are allowed to set until they reach a pH of approximately 6.4. This step ensures that the curds have the right level of acidity before they are cut and stacked. After the curds have set, "loaves" of curds are cut into uniform sizes, typically about 15 centimetres (6 inches) wide, along each side of the vat. This size ensures consistency in the stacking process.
Once the curd loaves are cut, they are carefully handled to prevent fat and protein loss to the whey. After a brief setting period, the cheddaring process begins with the stacking of the curd loaves. The loaves are turned over and stacked on top of each other, with their weight helping to expel additional moisture. The stacking is done in a specific pattern, where the first stack consists of two loaves, and then two stacks of two are put together, maximising the surface area under pressure.
This stacking process is repeated every ten minutes, each time increasing the weight and pressure on the curd loaves. This gradual process is essential in reducing the whey content and adjusting the acidity of the cheese. It also contributes to the development of the distinct flavour and denser texture associated with cheddar cheese. The weight of the stacked loaves presses down on the curds, squeezing out more whey and creating a drier, firmer texture.
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Curd formation: Curds are cut and handled gently to prevent fat and protein loss
The curds are cut with stainless steel knives at various points during the process of making cheddar cheese. The curds are handled gently after cutting to prevent fat and protein loss to the whey. Minimal agitation is desired to prevent the curd from sticking to the sides of the vat. The curds are allowed to set again for 10 to 15 minutes.
Fat and protein loss may affect the ability of the cheese to be considered cheddar cheese, depending on the region where it is created. For example, the Code of Federal Regulations outlines the standards for cheddar cheese in the US.
The curd is cooked by adding hot water to the jacket of the vat (up to 39 °C or 102 °F). The curd is stirred constantly during this step to avoid uneven cooking or overcooking, and the cooking will only take 20–60 minutes. The whey's pH will be around 6.1 to 6.4 by the end of the cooking.
Whey is removed from the curds by allowing it to drain out of the vat. In general, a gate is present to prevent curds from escaping. When most of the whey is gone, the curds are raked to the sides of the vat, allowing whey to drain down the middle of the two piles.
Cheddaring is a unique process in making cheddar cheese that involves stacking "loaves" of curd on top of one another in order to squeeze additional whey out of the loaves below. It is a multi-step process that reduces whey content, adjusts acidity, adds a characteristic flavour, and results in a denser and sometimes crumbly texture.
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Whey separation: Whey is drained from the vat, with gates preventing curds from escaping
Whey separation is a critical step in the manufacture of cheddar cheese, and it involves draining the whey from the vat while preventing the curds from escaping. Here's a detailed overview of the process:
Firstly, it's important to understand that the curds are delicate and must be handled gently after cutting to prevent fat and protein loss to the whey. This is crucial as fat and protein loss can impact whether the final product can be classified as cheddar cheese, depending on the region. To avoid the curds sticking to the sides of the vat, minimal agitation is maintained.
The next step is to cook the curds. This is done by adding hot water to the jacket of the vat, up to a temperature of 39°C or 102°F. Constant stirring is essential during this step to ensure even cooking, and the cooking time can range from 20 to 60 minutes. By the end of the cooking process, the whey's pH will be in the range of 6.1 to 6.4.
Now comes the actual whey separation. The whey is carefully drained from the vat, and a gate is used to prevent the curds from escaping. This gate plays a crucial role in ensuring that the curds remain in the vat while allowing the whey to drain out effectively.
Once most of the whey has been drained, the curds are raked to the sides of the vat. This raking action creates two piles of curds, allowing the remaining whey to drain down the middle. This process further ensures that as much whey as possible is separated from the curds.
The final step in the whey separation process is "cheddaring." This unique technique involves stacking "loaves" of curds on top of each other to squeeze out even more whey from the loaves below. The weight of the loaves helps expel additional moisture. Not only does this step reduce whey content, but it also adjusts acidity, adds flavour, and contributes to the denser, sometimes crumbly texture characteristic of cheddar cheese.
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Milling: Curds are cooked by adding hot water to the vat jacket, up to 39°C
Milling is a critical step in the manufacture of Cheddar cheese, and it involves cooking the curds. The cooking process is carefully controlled by adding hot water to the vat jacket, gradually increasing the temperature to 39°C (or 102°F). Maintaining a consistent temperature range is essential, as it directly impacts the quality of the cheese. During this step, constant stirring is required to prevent uneven cooking or overcooking. The cooking duration typically ranges from 20 to 60 minutes.
The role of temperature in the milling process is twofold. Firstly, it aids in the separation of whey, a by-product of cheese production, from the curds. By the end of the cooking process, the whey's pH will have dropped to between 6.1 and 6.4. This pH range is indicative of the whey's acidity and is crucial for the development of the cheese's flavour and texture. Secondly, temperature control is essential to achieving the desired protein and fat content in the final product. Both protein and fat retention can be affected by temperature management during the cooking step.
To ensure the curds are cooked evenly, the mixture is constantly stirred throughout the heating process. This step requires careful attention, as overcooking or uneven cooking can impact the cheese's final texture and flavour. The stirring action also helps to prevent the curds from sticking to the sides of the vat. While minimal agitation is generally preferred, gentle handling of the curds is necessary to preserve the integrity of the final product.
The milling step in Cheddar cheese production is a delicate balance of temperature control and careful handling of the curds. By maintaining the desired temperature range, preventing overcooking, and minimising fat and protein loss, this step contributes significantly to the overall quality of the cheese. The cooking process not only facilitates whey separation but also influences the cheese's final texture, flavour, and composition. Therefore, the milling stage plays a pivotal role in the transformation of milk into the beloved Cheddar cheese.
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Starter cultures: Reliable starters are key to modern Cheddar manufacturing, controlling acidity and moisture
The availability of reliable starter cultures is essential to modern Cheddar manufacturing. The successful development of continuous mechanized systems for Cheddar production relies on precise control of both moisture expulsion and acidity increase over time. This recognition has led to the understanding that, to guarantee the quality of cheese produced on a large scale in modern cheese plants, the chemical composition must fall within predetermined ranges.
Starter cultures play a crucial role in controlling acidity during the Cheddar manufacturing process. Acidity development is one of the main factors influencing the quality of Cheddar cheese. The rate and extent of acid production are critical parameters that cheesemakers must manage. By using reliable starter cultures, cheesemakers can ensure consistent starter activity, which is essential for achieving uniform cheese quality in large commercial plants.
The starter cultures also contribute to moisture control in Cheddar manufacturing. The removal of moisture from a rennet coagulum is a fundamental aspect of the process. Reliable starter cultures enable cheesemakers to precisely manage the expulsion of moisture, ensuring that the cheese reaches the desired moisture content. This control over moisture expulsion helps prevent the formation of off-flavors and contributes to the development of the desired mature flavor of Cheddar cheese.
Additionally, the use of reliable starter cultures in Cheddar manufacturing allows for better control over the chemical composition of the cheese. By maintaining the chemical composition within predetermined ranges, cheesemakers can ensure the consistency and quality of their product. This consistency in the chemical composition is particularly important when producing Cheddar cheese on a large scale, as it helps guarantee that the cheese meets the expected standards and falls within the acceptable grading assessments for Cheddar cheese quality.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step in making cheddar string cheese is to dilute rennet with pure water. The water must be pure because any pH that is not near 7 will rapidly decrease the effectiveness of the rennet, as will chlorine.
Cheddaring is a unique process in making cheddar cheese that involves stacking "loaves" of curd on top of one another in order to squeeze additional whey out of the loaves below. It is a multi-step process that reduces whey content, adjusts acidity, adds a characteristic flavor, and results in a denser and sometimes crumbly texture.
The availability of reliable starter cultures is the most important factor supporting changes in the way industrial Cheddar cheese is made.
